The Yacht Club that Won't Say Die - Bendigo
by Bendigo Advertiser/Sail-World Cruising on 6 Oct 2008
Never Say Die - Bendigo Yacht Club in action SW
IT is not exactly plain sailing, but Bendigo Yacht Club is determined to make the best of a bad situation.
Just last year their yacht club burned down (See Sail-World Story ).
Today the lake they sail in, Lake Eppalock, is at just seven percent of its capacity.
However, members spent the weekend imparting the basics of their craftsmanship to First Strathfieldsaye Scouts and First Bendigo Venturers at the lake.
'For us, it’s really not enough water to sail properly and get some proper courses happening,’’ Commodore Mick Floyd said.
'But we’re determined to make do with what we’ve got and just get out there and be able to muck about in boats.’’ There has been no sailing on the lake for two years, but this year the sailing season will, at least, officially open at Lake Eppalock.
Winter run-off combined with inflows from the Superpipe have raised the lake to a level where it is just able to be used, Mr Floyd said.
'At the moment there is enough water to be sailing small dinghies on, but not the larger catamarans,’’ he said.
'We plan to be sailing from the opening of the season on October 18 right through to Christmas.
'It hasn’t been the greatest year for us. 'After two years of not being able to sail, we then lost our boat shed in a fire.’’
This understatement is part of the 'never-say-die' attitude which is keeping the yacht club sailing - whether there's enough water or not!
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